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Just a few moments ago I had to get on a student for profanity. She used the f-word 3 times in one sentence. Her reply to me was "my own mama don't tell me how to talk, so nobody here at this school will either." She pretty much hit the nail on the head in her response: there is no one at home to teach right from wrong. In fact, the "parent(s)" are doing the exact same thing. As long as this continues, we as educators will never gain any ground.

"You know I love the guy but I swear he writes like freaking Yoda."-Dean WinchesterR12:2-Be Transformed

That is the hardest thing to combat, the apathy that permeates today's students. It seems more prevalent as the years and classes go by. It is easy and expected at times to just give in and say, "What do I care?" when no one else does. As BCJ said, focus on the ones who do appreciate coming to school, the stability they do get in coming to school, the education, or else be driven to drink.

My class from hades I had back in 2009 nearly caused me to do just that, become an alcoholic (okay so I exaggerate) but it was not easy coming to work everyday when literally every day I wanted to ram my head against the wall. I don't know your teaching situation (it seems like you will always get these type of kids?) but hang in there and focus again on those who do make your job worth coming to.

"The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see, the future is. But this I am sure of - do their duty the Jedi will." --Yoda from Attack of the Clones.

I don't know your teaching situation (it seems like you will always get these type of kids?) but hang in there and focus again on those who do make your job worth coming to.

Kids that have emotional or behavioral problems are often referred to this school when they can no longer handle the regular environment. We get the kids who need something different. Like I mentioned earlier, there are good ones and bad (like at any school).

There was a girl here last year who was a senior in high school. She was very nice and was well known since she was on the varsity girls softball team. She needed a civics credit to graduate. Her class was online, but she needed extra help with a face-to-face teacher. Everyday on my planning period I took time to help her. She passed with an A and graduated. She wrote me a thank you letter and made a poster for my room. When I get discouraged, I think of students like her who achieved success and made the effort. That is the reward in teaching.

I just wish those situations happened more often!!

"You know I love the guy but I swear he writes like freaking Yoda."-Dean WinchesterR12:2-Be Transformed

While I'm not a teacher I do interact with students in the sports I coach. In the fall I coach cross country at a small local college and in the spring I coach track where I went to high school. Although my time at those schools is rather limited I know the 'head against the wall' feeling. Some go along with you from the get go and with some its a battle (relatively speaking). But in the end seeing the kids have fun and get better is why I'm there and why I enjoy doing what I do.

In spite of the lunacy of administrators and legislators, my wife's passion for teaching is still strong. Some of her first kiddoes she taught are now starting college and were so inspired by her enthusiasm that they, too, are embarking on a teaching career as well. It is so satisfying to hear this when we are stopped at a store by an ex-student and hear stories of how my wife has been a focal point in their lives. It may only be a handful of students, but they help keep the fires lit for education and the way it should be taught.

I was in a 5 Guys Burgers (purely for the school fundraiser there that night, of course ) and a former student came up to introduce himself. I told me he wasn't very good in English (the subject I teach) but that he did appreciate my class. He's trying to save up money for a move East, and is considering teaching as a career (instead of art; but I mentioned he should continue the art as a hobby or side activity so he might still get to do something with it later). Nice to hear.

"I went to Star Wars Celebration VII in Anaheim, and I didn't get even a lousy t-shirt."

J&H, I have written two letters of resignation (one even making it to the printed-out and sealed in an envelope stage) over my 10+ years of teaching. The year 2005 has been supressed in my memories for all the junk that happened to me, school-related, plus all the other junk not related to my job. I have also taken days off where I seriously considered leaving and needed the heal-my-brain time away. Co-workers saw me and asked "what happened to you?" So I know the frustrations of a job that has you pulled in so many directions, that even Stretch Armstrong would reach his limits; parents, students, your own family, the community, budgets, classroom materials, media reports, education "experts," test data, fund raisers, etc. I don't want to tell you what to do (that's so like a teacher, Bel-Cam... ), but if you can make it through this school year, see if the summer off has any positive effects on you. Or find a Writing Project based near you and see if there are openings for their institute; that has reinvigorated several of my colleagues over the years. Think nothing about teaching for a month or so. Travel, read, paint, go to a Gwar concert. Just some recommendatiosn.

But I feel for you. Keep your head up!

p.s. Out school is going through its WASC accreditation next week. I get to come in on Sunday and stay after school later Mon. - Wed. Hooray!

"I went to Star Wars Celebration VII in Anaheim, and I didn't get even a lousy t-shirt."